Nucleotidase cascades are catalyzed by secreted proteins of the parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis.

ABSTRACT: Extracellular nucleotides are signaling molecules whose receptor-mediated effects are involved in a variety of physiological responses in mammalian tissues. An overwhelming body of data indicate that inflammatory and other immune responses can be modulated by the availability and local concentrations of nucleotides via nucleotide receptor signaling, but this is only just beginning to be investigated in the context of infectious disease. Evidence is provided here that the parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis can catalyze the conversion and thus modulate both the availability and concentration of extracellular nucleotides by means of the following secreted exoenzymes: apyrase, 5'-nucleotidase, and adenosine deaminase. These enzymes were characterized in terms of substrate specificity, kin

SUBMITTER: Gounaris K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC128271 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature